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I
attended the hospital for my annual check up on
April 6th. Normally this goes very well and is
very uplifting as all is excellent. However this
time as I walked in to see the consultant he
noticed that I was breathing hard from the 10
metre walk to his room. I had not noticed
this but he seemed to be concerned. He made
plans for me to be attached to a 24 hour heart
monitor when one became available (which could
be months away) It did not bother me as I
felt fine.
However as the next two
weeks went by I was becoming ill and easily
became breathless. I found that even a minimum
effort brought me to exhaustion. All was
definitely not well. Linda and I decided
that it might be beneficial for me to go and
spend a number of days at my sister's house to
recover, but after a few days it was obvious
that I was getting worse not better.
I was due to fly to
England to take a 'Quiver event -an 18-30 youth
course - at Ellel Pierrepont leaving April 30th
and returning May 4th, and now I felt it right
to email them and let them know that it did not
look as if I would be able to come and teach.
Finally on the Saturday April 25th I decided
that I must be dying (yes it was that bad!)
and asked if I could be driven to the hospital.
I was 100% sure that I would be kept in and that
'it was all over' However, to my surprise,
after many tests the results showed that my
heart was unchanged! I went back to my
sister's house to continue recuperation, feeling as unwell, but now knowing it
was not 'all over'
The following morning
during my quiet time, as I was reading a
devotional passage from
Angus Buchan's
'Farmer's Journal' he suggested that the reader
ask God for a promise in a difficult situation.
This witnessed to me so I began to pray that
request. Before I even had my prayer completed God
spoke clearly into my spirit saying 'My grace is
sufficient for you, My strength is made perfect
in weakness'. It was delivered so powerfully
into my spirit that it left me in no doubt that
my prayer had been answered while still on my
lips. Standing on that promise I told
Linda that I would go to England mid week after
all. She said she would come with me. We booked
the cheapest flight which meant a 4 am start on
the Wednesday morning. Jill Southern, the Centre
Director phoned me to suggest that I should not
come since I was clearly unwell but I said that
God had spoken to me and I would be ok. She then
kindly suggested that I cancel my early morning
flight and take a mid day flight to make things
easier and that they would happily pay the
difference, but no, I decided I would fully
stand on God's promise and leave things as they
were.
When we arrived at Gatwick
airport I thought I would faint and it took a
strong hold on my suitcase trolley handle and
the wonderful name of 'Jesus' whispered
many times to stop me falling
down. When we reached Pierrepont Jill
Southern suggested that I go to bed immediately and sleep
for the rest of the day which I did. Six
unbroken hours before evening meal time. Then
back to bed again.
The following morning -
the day that the event began - I awoke feeling
100%! Linda and I went for a long
leisurely walk and I was not tired or out of
breathe at all.
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When the event
started that evening there were several
activities to help get the young folk
from the many nations (I counted 17
nations) get to know each other. I
decided to join in. The final event was
a speed event which meant racing up the
hall to find your opposite number and
drop to the floor when you found them.
As heat after heat went by I ended up in
the final two pairs and to my surprise I
won this high energy event. The
prize was wrapped in lovely paper and
tied with ribbon. Later that evening
when I opened the prize it turned out to
be a Christian notebook. And there on
the cover was the promise. 'My grace
is sufficient for you. My strength is
made perfect in weakness'.
God's grace, God's
promise, God's power, God's
faithfulness! The event was a joy to be
involved in. The delegates were so
hungry to grow in Christ. I was
privileged to teach them. Thank you
Lord! |
The one hour river
walk, stopping at various points for
more teaching. Beautiful spring weather
helped.
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Linda and
I had the joy and privilege of
travelling once again to Ellel
Sweden based in the stunningly
beautiful area of Kafalla near
Lindesberg. This time, it was a
'Men of God' weekend. The
quality of men who attended was
excellent and they came to do
serious business with God. Their
hunger made the teaching so
easy, even though at times we
were looking at some difficult
subjects. We look forward to
returning in the autumn for two
weeks. Thank you men for having such
hungry hearts for
God. |
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After
returning home I received a very
encouraging email from Centre
Director Goran, who said "we
have received lots of feedback
and it has all been so
positive...hope you are even
more desiring to get back to
Sweden as people are asking us
repeatedly " When is he coming
back?" Yes welcome back
indeed, we so appreciate having
you here''
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Sweden is
so beautiful, and this time I
brought my best camera equipment
and was up at 4.30 am the first
morning to capture some of the
beauty. (I thought it was 7am! -
had I known it was 4.30am I
would have gone back to sleep!)
I now have so many extraordinary
photos of Sweden that I have
given a whole gallery over to
this one country
on my photography website.
The
photo at the top of the page is
one example, here is another..
(called 'morning glory') |
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I continue
to teach at the Green Pastures
Servant Academy in Green
Pastures, Ballymena. It is
wonderful to see the progress
that the class is now starting
to show. A ministry team
from Christian Restoration in
Ireland led by Prayer Ministry
Leader Anne Galway continues to
minister at the church every
Thursday. Teaching
continues every Tuesday evening
for the CRi team. The subject in
recent weeks has been
'Understanding discernment and
deception' |
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Weekend
beginning Friday June 12th we
had more Life-line 'lads' up
with us at the Rostrevor Renewal
Centre for a Father heart of
God. As always God was very
present and we had the privilege
of leading some to the Lord, and to see
others grow greatly in their
understanding of God's heart for
them.
One of the joys of
working closely with Lifeline
Ministries is to see the journey
these lads make. Robert (left) from
Cork is one example.
I had the
privilege of leading Robert to
the Lord during a three day
visit to Lifeline Headquarters
in Drogheda in
September 2008
and
also the privilege of
baptising him the
following day.
Robert has not only
completed his six month
course with flying
colours but is now going
to join the Lifeline
leadership team to work
with other men gripped
by the cruel addiction
of drugs. This is the
power of the salvation.
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Linda
ministering in the main
teaching hall |
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Robert receiving his
gift from Lifeline
leader Paul Millar |
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The Lifeline
lads and the
Christian
Restoration team
at the end of
the weekend |
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Our
youngest
son
David
(22) has
travelled
several
more
times
to
Lifeline
for two days
a week
to help
disciple
the
new
believers
there.
He loves
serving
the Lord
full
time and
the lads
love
him. He
gave his
life to
Jesus
aged 4,
and has
never
turned
left or
right.
He
attended
the six
month Ellel
NETS
school
at
Pierrepont
England,
and also
completed
one year
at the
Andrew
Womack
Bible
School
in
Belfast.
He has
been a
member
of the
Christian
Restoration
in
Ireland
ministry
team for
two
years. |
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The
FATHER
HEART OF
GOD
weekend.
I
was
told
that
Germany
was a
fatherless
nation
because
of the
second
world
war and
that
this
teaching
was much
needed.
It
certainly
was.
Both
delegates
and
prayer
ministry
team
were
touched
deeply
by the
truths
that
were set
before
them.
The
testimonies
at the
end were
probably
the best
or the
second
best I
have
heard in
ten
years of
teaching
this
subject.
There
was much
laughter
and many
tears.
One
person
said
later
"It was
very
funny
yet very
deep at
the same
time"
As we
could
not read
German
we were
unable
to enter
into the
worship,
but
simply
closed
our eyes
and
listened
to the
singing.
Linda
and I
agreed
that it
was some
of the
most
beautiful
and
harmonious
we had
ever
heard at
a
seminar.
You
would
have
thought
the
delegates
were a
choir
that had
been
training
for
months!
It was
while I
was
listening
that I
felt God
speak
into my
spirit
and ask
me to
stand
before
the
people
as 'a
father'
and ask
for
forgiveness
for
wrong
fathering
that
they had
received
from
their
fathers.
I had
never
done
this
before
in
public,
but I
obeyed
this
leading
and
asked if
any
woman
was
willing
to step
forward
on
behalf
of all
the
women
who had
suffered
from
poor or
absent
fathering
and
forgive
me on
behalf
of all
their
fathers.
One lady
came
forward
and I
hugged
her and
said
that I
was so
sorry
for the
poor
fathering
she had
received.
This
very
deep
event
produced
many
tears
and much
healing
among
the
ladies.
I then
asked
the same
from the
men. One
man
stepped
forward
and I
asked
him to
forgive
me for
the
wrong
fathering
he had
received
and
again,
as only
God can,
He used
this to
bring
healing
to the
men.
These
moments
were so
sacred
that I
felt I
could
just not
continue
teaching
and
asked
Marianne,
the
anointed
worship
leader
to come
back to
her
keyboard
and
simply
play
quietly
for ten
minutes.
The
Presence
of God
was so
evident
and we
knew
that
much was
being
done at
a deep
level by
His
Spirit.
When
that
session
was over
several
more
people
waited
behind
for a
'daddy
hug' and
the
tears
and
resultant
release
in their
soul was
evidence
of God
at work.
One lady
asked if
I could
stand in
for her
father
in a
reverse
way as
when she
was a
teenager
she let
her
dying
father
down and
she
needed
to say
sorry. I
asked
Jesus if
He would
allow
and
anoint
this and
He did,
and the
release
in the
lady's
spirit
was
delightful
to see.
The man
who had
come
forward
gave
testimony
later
that he
had
always
hoped
that one
day his
father
would
have
said
sorry
for his
behaviour,
but he
never
had.
When,
while
holding
him in a
hug I
felt led
to
whisper
'I am SO
sorry'
it had
brought
great
release
to him.
This was
all
something
new in
the
Father
heart of
God and
made the
weekend
so
special
for me
as well.
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Linda and I enjoyed several brunches at Andreas's apartment when we dined well along with the full time Ellel team. It was here that we discovered that Andreas owned and could play the massive Alpine Horn. naturally we insisted that he play and I can assure you that the deep deep notes of Amazing Grace could probably have been heard back in his home country of Switzerland.
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Several
weeks
after
this
visit I
received
a very
encouraging
visit
for
Andreas
Hefti.
It
read...
Dear
Ken,
dear
Linda
I hope
you are
both
well.
Thanks
once
more for
everything.
It was
such a
precious
time
together.
We still
get
amazing
feedbacks
from the
course
which
seems to
draw
circles.
I picked
up that
it was
not only
your
personal
testimony
Ken, but
also
your
living
letter
as a
couple
which
touched
people's
hearts.
An
encouragement
for you
as well
as
Linda.
You
didn't
say much
(as a
couple)
but what
you
represent
must
have
spoken
volumes... |
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